Les Bridge is hoping to salvage something out of the spring with recent stable acquisition Leica Larrikin, starting at Rosehill on Saturday.
Leica Larrikin, formerly trained at Corowa by Richard Freyer, has had only one start for Bridge when unplaced in the Listed Show County Quality in August before a setback put paid to an Epsom Handicap campaign.
“About a week after that Show County Quality he got an elevated temperature,” Bridge said.
“We had to treat him and it took him a couple of weeks to get over it and I’ve just gone along slowly with him since to make sure everything was fine.”
The imposing Leica Larrikin, a full-brother to Leica Falcon who finished fourth in Makybe Diva’s historic third Melbourne Cup victory in 2005, has pleased Bridge in two recent barrier trials.
He’ll contest Saturday’s Centrebet Pick Your Own Field Handicap (1400m) with Brad Pengelly aboard.
“He’s going well,” Bridge said.
“His work has been good and the horse looks good so he should run well tomorrow.
“I wish he had drawn a better barrier though, his draw is certainly not going to help him.”
The six-year-old gelding has barrier 16 in a competitive field which boasts three Group One winners (Skilled, Erewhon and Coniston Bluebird), a Group Two winner (Pureness), as well as emerging talent Somepin Anypin.
With the elevated temperature ruling Leica Larrikin out Sydney’s major spring races, Bridge has had to change his sights with the Group-placed galloper.
“At the time the Epsom was the target but when we got the interruption (with the elevated temperature) we had to abandon those plans,” Bridge said.
“We’ll see how he goes tomorrow and we’ve still got the Hawkesbury Cup that we can look at.”
The Group Three Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) is on November 3 and was won last year by Thankgodyou’rehere.
Leica Larrikin had 18 starts for Freyer for five wins and four placings.
He has won three times at Flemington and finished second in the Group Three Aurie’s Star (1200m) in August last year.
Leica Larrikin was at $26 in TAB Sportsbet’s market on Friday with impressive last-start winner Somepin Anypin the $2 favourite.
Group One winner Erewhon, who resumed from a year out to finish second to Somepin Anypin last start, has firmed from $13 to $9.50.
AAP TURF
